Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
1 Corinthians 14:34 KJV
For a few years now, I have been hearing numerous Pastors within different denominations misinterpret this scripture. This scripture causes many women to lose faith in Christianity and fall away from the church because they do not fully understand its meaning. Thus, giving them a negative view of the bible, Paul, God and the church. When this scripture is misinterpreted, it gives wives the feeling that God is against them. Or that He does not care about them, but this is completely untrue! God cares about and loves wives very much. Secondly, by misinterpreting this scripture, people tend to compromise all the scriptures pertaining to wives due to a simple misunderstanding because they think that God is unreasonable.
1 Corinthians 14:34 is one of the most misinterpreted scriptures in the bible because in Greek, the same word is used for ‘women’ and ‘wives’. The Greek language does not have a different word to separate the two. Herein lies the problem. However, if you read on to the next verse (vs 35), you will understand the context of the scripture.
Other translations say:
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Weymouth New Testament – Let married women be silent in the Churches, for they are not permitted to speak. They must be content with a subordinate place, as the Law also says; 35and if they wish to ask questions, they should ask their own husbands at home. For it is disgraceful for a married woman to speak at a Church assembly.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 World English Bible – let your women keep silence in the assemblies, for it is not permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the assembly.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 – the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
How can a single woman ask her husband? It is clear to see that this verse pertains to wives only. Since they are married, they are to receive their spiritual instruction from their husbands.
Can Women Be Pastors or Teachers?
Many Pastors use this scripture as an argument against the acceptance of female Pastors and teachers in the church. Out of a sexist attitude, this scripture can be manipulated and used to mislead and therefore confuse people and/or turn them away from the truth.
Female Pastors are the same as male Pastors and female Prophets equate to their male counterparts in every way as long as they are unmarried.
God chose both a male and a female prophet to confirm the birth and life of Jesus.
The male was Simeon:
Luke 2:25-35 – Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
And the female prophetess was Anna who was a widow, meaning she was no longer married:
Luke 2:36-38 – There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
We can also see in the book of Acts that Philip had unmarried (virgin) daughters who prophesied.
Acts 21:8-9 – Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
During the time of Moses, Miriam was not married. She was also capable of being a prophetess, even though she was female.
Exodus 15:20 – Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.
The scriptures are pointing out that only a woman who is unmarried or a widow, can hold the spiritual office of a prophetess. A married woman or a divorced woman cannot be prophetesses as in hold the office of a prophetess (meaning to do this as a full time calling).
According to the scriptures, a divorced woman is still considered married and bound to her husband until his death. If her husband dies and she becomes a widow and stays unmarried, she can hold the office of a prophet of God.
Romans 7:2-3 – For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
This does not mean that a wife can never prophecy and speak on behalf of God.
Should Women Cover Their Heads?
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 – Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
To clarify, the scriptures are stating that only a married or divorced woman should cover their heads. This does not apply to women who are single or widowed.
Even in today’s Jewish culture, in order to conform with the requirement, all married women cover their heads with either a scarf or a ‘steitel’, a wig worn by married Jewish women only.
Paul is alluding to an Old Testament scripture when speaking of a wife shaving her head, which also mentioned wives only:
Deuteronomy 21:10-13 – When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, 11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. 12 Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13 and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.
A wife who does not cover her head must be adopted into this traditional symbol by mourning and forgetting the ways of her father and mother (her old ways) and accepting the concepts of submitting to her husband in all ways.
Paul mentions that the purpose of wearing a head covering for a wife is to symbolize that when she prophecies, she is speaking from under the authority of her husband; within his interpretation and not her own. Others will understand this and take this into consideration when heeding her prophetic word.
1 Corinthians 11:10 – For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
The angels are meant to minister to people but not to wives, even if what she follows from her husband is incorrect. This would cause confusion in the marriage and so Paul states that a head covering is a symbol for the angels not to interfere in the marriage. Angels must minister to the husband regarding his error who in turn will teach his wife. She is covered for any mistakes her husband may teach her.
Luke 22:43 – An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Matthew 26:53 – Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Mark 1:13 – And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Matthew 4:10-11 – Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Hebrews 1:14 – Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Psalm 91:11 – For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
The angels ministered to Jesus and they are meant to minister to God’s congregation but not to a wife who must submit to her husband in everything. An angel being allowed to minister to a wife would only cause confusion within her marriage.
Ephesians 5:24 – Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
A wife can prophesy but must cover her head whilst doing so. This however, does not mean that a wife should go into full time ministry. Her primary office is to be a wife. Her duty is towards her husband and understanding his interpretation of God’s word. The spiritual head of a wife is her husband. When she teaches the word of God, she must teach it according to her husband’s interpretation, even if she does not agree with it.
In the same way, a man’s ‘spiritual covering’ or ‘head’ is Jesus. A man must also ensure that he is teaching according to Jesus’ interpretation, even if he doesn’t agree with it.
Ephesians 5:23 – For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
1 Corinthians 11:3 – But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
This is what the bible means when it says that a wife must cover her head. Without this covering, a wife is showing that she does not believe in her husband’s interpretation or authority and therefore, shames him. She also brings shame to herself because she does not understand the word of God regarding a wife’s duties and position.
Since the office of a Godly wife is such an important and significant role with its own obligations, wives cannot reasonably hold a second office of a prophet and fulfill all of its obligations also. Of course, she can have the gift of prophecy and should operate within her husband’s understanding of the scriptures.
Understanding The Spiritual Rank Of Authority
God is not a God of confusion. A wife receives her spiritual covering from her husband, not from herself or a Pastor. Therefore, He has commanded that a wife must submit in every way to her husband’s authority. This is because a wife cannot be obedient to both the teachings of Jesus and her husband’s interpretation. Everyone has different opinions which would cause strife and confusion in the marriage.
No husband is perfect and if he differs in some way with the teachings of Jesus, the wife would be placed in a difficult predicament. Does she disobey her husband and go with her own convictions (which may also be incorrect)? Or does she obey her husband according to God’s word, even though she feels he is wrong? This is the confusion the Bible speaks of. For this reason, the commandment for a wife is simple. She is to follow her husband’s way and she will be judged according to whether she complied to this commandment or not.
Colossians 3:18 – Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22-24 – Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
A husband on the other hand, will be judged according to his teachings and interpretation and how accurate it is to the teachings of Jesus. If a husband is teaching his wife ways that are false, compromised, twisted or manipulated, he will be held accountable by God. If due to God’s commandment to respect and obey her husband, a wife is obedient to her husband and his (false) teachings and interpretation, she will not be held accountable for following her husband’s wrong teachings. This is the covering Paul is speaking of which is symbolized when a wife covers her head as she prays or prophecies.
1 Peter 3:1-5 – Likewise wives, be subject to their own husbands so that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without word by the conduct of the wives, 2having witnessed your respectful, pure conduct, 3whose adorning let not be the external, of braiding of hair and putting around of gold, or putting on of garments, 4but the hidden man of the heart, in the imperishable of the gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth before God.
It is inevitable that every husband will do or say something that is not according to the Bible. Rather than cause conflict about who is right and wrong, God offers a practical way to preserve peace, respect, love and obedience within the marriage. A wife must quietly and submissively accept the errors being taught by her husband. No husband is perfect in his understanding of God’s word and this is not a reason for there to be conflict and confusion within the marriage. For a wife, God has given her a covering which means exemption from being accountable for having to follow the disobedience of her husband.
Continued 1 Peter 3:5 – For in this way formerly, the holy women also hoping in God used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom you have become children, doing good and not fearing any consternation.
Wives Should Not Be Full Time Ministers Of The Gospel
Due to the limitation of a wife having to follow and teach according to her husband’s interpretation of God’s word, I do not see any scriptures (or examples) in the bible that support wives becoming full time ministers of the Gospel. A married woman has already been given the high office of being a Godly wife. It is no easy feat and must be carried out with diligence. Being a Godly wife is a full time job in and of itself.
This does not mean that a wife can never prophesy on behalf of God or have a role in her husband’s ministry, such as Priscilla and Aquila.
Acts 18:24-26 – Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
This scripture shows how both husband and wife approached and taught Apollos more adequately, together.
Romans 16:3-4 – Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
The Apostle Paul refers to both Priscilla and Aquila as his fellow workers in Christ, together.
Corinthians 16:19 – The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
We also see that they have a ministry/house church together. Paul is the same person who mentions a wife being under her husband’s covering. If Paul is encouraging and endorsing this Godly couple, they must have been following this precept within their marriage.
This means that Priscilla would have believed and taught according to her husband’s interpretation of the scriptures and not her own or anyone else’s for that matter, not even Paul.
It is Aquila’s duty as a husband, to discern whether what Paul is saying is the truth for his family to follow. This careful examination of preaching and comparing against the scriptures is called the “Berean method’ which was a quality that Paul greatly admired amongst the Bereans.
Acts 17:11 – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Now we can understand what Paul is trying to say in 1 Corinthians 14:34. He is addressing wives only, stating that they must remain quiet in the church and be submissive to their husbands, in the context of asking questions in order to understand another man’s interpretation. This means wives should follow their husband’s interpretation of everything and not speak in the church regarding asking questions.
What would be the point in a wife learning the ways of another man, even if he is a pastor, for example? This would cause confusion and discourse between husband and wife. This is why Paul is saying for the wife not to ask questions in church, but to learn her husband’s perspective and interpretation instead. Even if her husband is wrong, the wife is covered because she has obeyed the word of God as it pertains to a wife. In this instance, it would not be so for the husband.
A wife is judged based on how closely she follows her husband’s philosophies, not her own or another man’s (the Pastor). So then if a wife has questions, she must ask her husband for his interpretation.
How can an unmarried woman ask her husband a question? It is clear to see that Paul is only referring to married women (wives) in this scripture. A widow or unmarried woman is biblically considered to be of the same standing as any man. She can ask, answer and debate about the scriptures all the same.
A divorced woman however, is different. She may not have a husband to ask questions, but in the eyes of God, she is still married. Therefore, she cannot follow another man either. This is in the hopes that the wife will turn from her rebellion against God and reconcile with her husband once again.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
The Lord’s Command About Wives
As Paul states, the submission of a wife to her husband is an Old Testament concept which continued into the New Testament church. This is why Paul says wives are commanded to be under obedience as the law says. It is written about numerous times in the New Testament also.
1 Corinthians 14:34 – Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
1 Corinthians 14:36-38 – Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.
Paul goes on to say that wives being submissive to their husbands is the Lord’s command. It is not a new concept or something that Paul made up. This requirement is as per God’s law and has existed for thousands of years. Ignoring this command would be at one’s own peril. It has been this way between husband and wife from the beginning.
Genesis 2:18 – The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
From the very beginning of creation, Eve, the first woman, was created as a helper to the man. She was created to play a supporting role to Adam. Paul is also referring to the fact that God’s word at this point had already been revealed in its entirety to Adam, and Adam revealed the word of God to Eve.
Genesis 2:15-18 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Even after the fall of mankind, this order has not changed. It has been maintained for thousands of years.
Genesis 3:16 – To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
It was the rebellion from this specific order God created that introduced all sin into the world. The correct order is for a wife to obey her husband and for a husband to obey God. In the case of Adam and Eve, however, things went the opposite way. The husband obeyed the wife who ended up being tempted by the Devil. So then, God will only speak through the husband and not the wife, thus not giving authority to the wife over the husband.
Paul states if anyone speaks on behalf of God as a prophet, teacher, pastor, elder, etc. and does not accept this point about wives or how to be a wife, then we are not to accept that person’s position as a teacher.
1 Corinthians 14:38 cev – So don’t pay attention to anyone who ignores what I am writing.
1 Corinthians 14:38 ISV – But if anyone ignores this, he should be ignored
We should not apply and believe their teachings and philosophies, since this concept is the Lord’s command. Furthermore, a wife who teaches but does not understand the concept of teaching according to her husband’s interpretation, is not to be accepted either.
Wives Are Permitted To Prophesy
This is not to say that a wife who wishes to prophesy cannot do so. There is no biblical evidence to show that wives do not or cannot receive gifts of the Holy Spirit, since Paul also states that any wife who prophecies must cover her head before doing so.
A wife can also teach. However, she must understand the concept of teaching within her husband’s interpretation and take a submissive and supportive role in the ministry. This also means that a wife should not teach or have authority over her husband.
Unmarried or Widowed Women Can Teach
1 Timothy 2:11-12 – A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
Once again, the same word in Greek is used for woman and wife as well as man and husband. So the scripture should read like this: I do not permit a wife to teach or exercise authority over a husband; she is to remain quiet. Read on to the next verses for more clarity:
1 Timothy 2:13-15 – For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Again this is referring to Eve as a wife. Otherwise, how can a single woman bear children? That would be considered fornication.
We must understand that even the curses spoken by God to Eve were for wives, not unmarried women.
Genesis 3:16 – To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
Neither of these curses or punishments have any effect on an unmarried woman. But due to free will, a fornicator, meaning a woman acting as if she were married, receives the same punishment and more so for also being a fornicator.
1 Corinthians 6:9 – know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1 Timothy 1:10 – for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
Hebrews 13:4 – Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
This scripture does not mean all women since an unmarried woman or a widow (not divorced) can be a full time pastor, teacher, and prophetess. There is no difference between an unmarried woman, a widow and a man.
The Bible has a clear example of a woman teaching and exercising authority over men. An example of this in the Bible, is Deborah. She was (an unmarried) judge and prophetess in ancient Israel, who taught and exercised authority over men like Barak, Sisera and Jabin’s army.
Judges 4:6-9 & 14 – She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”
8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” 9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him.
These scriptures clearly show Deborah, a woman, exercising authority over Barak. There is some controversy over Judges 4:4 which states:
Judges 4:4 – Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.
Since the same Greek word is used for ‘woman’ and ‘wife’, this scripture reads differently depending on the translation. It could be interpreted as ‘woman of Lappidoth’ or ‘wife of Lappidoth’. ‘Lappidoth’ also means ‘fire’ or ‘torch’.
The true translation of the verse reads as “Deborah, a prophet, the woman of fire’ or “woman of fiery disposition’; which she clearly was!
The reason it cannot be “wife of Lappidoth” is simple. In Jewish culture, when introducing a man, it is customary to mention the man’s father. For example, Peter Bar Jonah translates to Peter son of Jonah. We even see a direct example in the next verse.
Judges 4:6 – She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.
However in the above verse 4, we do not see any mention of the father’s name. Therefore, Lappidoth is not the name of a man (Deborah’s husband).
This proves that a woman does not have to be submissive to all men but only to her husband. A woman can teach a man, just not her own husband.
Titus 2:4-5 – and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Ephesians 5:22-23 – Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
1 Corinthians 11:3 – But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
This does not mean that a woman cannot have authority over a man and that she must be submissive to every man. It simply means that a woman does not have authority over her husband and she must be submissive to him only.
1 Corinthians 11:3 is explaining that there is a biblical system at work within the family unit. A wife must obey her husband, a husband must obey the teachings of Jesus and Jesus already did his part, and obeyed God. This is how the Holy Spirit can dwell in all of us, because we are all connected through obedience and thereby the Spirit.
When a wife is obedient to her husband, she becomes one in spirit with her husband. Through a wife’s obedience to her husband, the two become one in spirit (spiritual flesh). There is no possible way to become one in physical flesh.
1 Corinthians 15:39-40 – Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.
The same word in Greek for ‘body’ also means ‘flesh’. What Paul is saying is that there are different kinds of flesh; human, animal and spiritual.
In the same way, Jesus said “I and the Father are one”, meaning “one” in spirit (the Holy Spirit). Later on in the scriptures, Jesus proceeds to include us by stating that we also will be one with Jesus and God:
John 17:21 – that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
John 17:11 – I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
1 Corinthians 6:17 – But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
Through a wife’s obedience, she becomes one with her husband who through his obedience to the teachings of Jesus, becomes one with Christ, who as we can see, was already one with God; making us all one with God through the Holy Spirit.
Can Women Be Pastors And Preach?
We can conclude from these scriptures that the belief many people have that women cannot preach in the church (no female pastors) is fundamentally wrong. These scriptures mean that a wife cannot hold the office of a pastor in the fundamental way of hearing revelations from God, speaking or even learning from someone else and teaching. A wife must teach according to her husband’s interpretation of the word of God and not her own. She must not learn from anyone except her husband.
Lastly, she must cover her head when prophesying or praying as a sign that she is operating within the teachings and authority of her husband. Most likely then, a wife who teaches would probably have a ministry that resembles Priscilla and Aquila. She assists her husband in ministering rather than taking a dominant role since she is preaching his philosophy and not her own.
If a woman is unmarried or a widow (not divorced), she can biblically be a pastor just like a man. A divorced woman cannot be a pastor. This is because in the eyes of God, she still has a husband but she is rebelling against him. She has rejected God’s requirement of being a submissive, obedient, Godly wife. She has ignored the concept and refused to submit to her husband and has disobeyed the Lord’s commandment that no wife shall separate from her husband. So then, she obviously does not understand the concept of being under her husband’s covering and should not be accepted as a valid teacher.
1 Corinthians 11:5-6 & 16 – But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering…..16But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
1 Corinthians 14:37-38 – If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know that I am writing only what the Lord has commanded. 38 So don’t pay attention to anyone who ignores what I am writing.
1 Corinthians 14:37-38 God’s word translation – Whoever thinks that he speaks for God or that he is spiritually gifted must acknowledge that what I write to you is what the Lord commands. 38 But whoever ignores what I write should be ignored.
I understand that there are many wives who are pastors today and they do not teach according to their husband’s interpretation. Unfortunately, this is an error within their understanding of Paul’s words. They must repent of this false understanding and begin to align their beliefs and actions with the word of God. Otherwise, they will suffer the fate of a blasphemer of the Holy Spirit which results in God’s unforgiveness and an unpardonable sin. It is our duty to ignore their teachings since they are ignoring Paul’s writings.
It is important to understand that Paul speaks the most about wives and the do’s and don’t of being a Godly wife. This is because Paul was the Apostle whose ministry embodied that of the Gentile cause. The Old Testament prophets did not have to explain to Jewish women how to be Godly wives as it was part of their tradition and culture. The Gentiles, however, whom Paul was dealing with, needed to be taught these basic beliefs due to their differences in culture and tradition.
For this reason, Paul’s ministry deals with the subject of wives the most. We should not fall into the trap of setting aside scripture (ignoring or twisting what Paul is saying).
John 10:34-35 – Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside…
My point in quoting this scripture is that we cannot set aside any scripture; no matter how inconvenient it sounds and especially if it doesn’t suit our purposes. These very important scriptures regarding wives cannot be overlooked. It clearly outlines how wives should behave towards their husbands and within the church and ministry.
Lastly, we must not attempt to twist Paul’s concepts within his writing. This will only result in our own demise.
2 Peter 3:15-16 – Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Peter is endorsing Paul’s views and ministry. It was Peter who received the promise from Jesus that the whole church would be based on his understanding of Jesus and the word of God.
Matthew 16:18 – And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Peter is also warning us that Paul is hard to understand. However, he adds that only ignorant and unstable people (meaning people who ignore,twist, manipulate and set aside scripture) distort Paul’s words to suit themselves, and only to their own destruction.
So then, wives who twist, manipulate or set aside Paul’s instruction only do so to their own demise.
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